The Premiership clubs were last night told that they would not be able to follow their French counterparts into a boycott of next season's Heineken Cup. France's top 14 clubs are considering pulling out of Europe in protest at the congested fixture list they face next season, while Premiership sides have also threatened not to sign a new accord binding them to the Heineken and European Challenge cups.

The eight-year Paris Accord binding the four home unions, France and Italy to the tournaments runs out in May and Premier Rugby is unwilling to sign a new five-year agreement unless the Rugby Football Union gives it increased share and voting rights on the board of European Rugby Cup Ltd.

The RFU's management board chairman, Martyn Thomas, said there could be no English boycott: "The terms of the long-form agreement we have with our clubs are clear: they are bound to play in the two European competitions until the summer of 2009. It is a legally binding document and I have pointed out the relevant paragraph to them.

"We cannot understand why they are so adamant that they be given our shares and the majority of the English votes on ERC because the way it has worked on the board in the last eight years is that we have supported them on commercial issues and they have backed us when it comes to governance. There must be an underlying reason we are not yet aware of."

England will announce the coaching team which will take them through to the World Cup next Wednesday. The RFU's elite rugby director, Rob Andrew, will either promote Brian Ashton from assistant coach or an outsider, such as Harlequins' Dean Richards, will be brought in as director of rugby with the three-man coaching team left alone.

Jonny Wilkinson has resumed light training as he continues to recover from the kidney damage he sustained during Newcastle's Premiership victory over Bristol six weeks ago. The Falcons will not put a date on his return, but believe it could be some time during the Six Nations, which begins in early February.

"Jonny is on the mend," said Falcons' rugby director, John Fletcher. "He has had his four or five weeks of rest, took himself away for a holiday and now he's in the gym doing some light training. He will be back. We haven't put a date on it and we aren't going to do that, but realistically it may be some time during the Six Nations.

"We will get him back in the same sort of shape he was for the Bristol game and he will be flying again. Jonny is very positive, as always. He is in a great frame of mind, and also in fantastic condition. He is feeling refreshed after a couple of weeks in the sun and he is looking forward to starting up again."